Flooring and flooring members



Sept. 16, 1958 R. H. SHAY 2,852,112

FLOORING AND FLOORING MEMBERS Original Filed Jan. 18, 1950 INVENTOR RAYMOND H. SHAY ATTORNEY United States Fatent FLOORING AND FLooniNG MEMBERS Raymond H. Shay, Birmingham, Mich, assignor to National Steel Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Continuation of application January 18, 1950, Serial No. 139,259. This application October 24, 1955, Serial No. 542,330

14 Claims. (31. 1s9 s4 The present invention relates to improvements in floors and walls, particularly the floor and walls of freightcarrying conveyances and to improvements in metal structural members which may be readily assembled to form such a floor or wall presenting tortuous nail receiving grooves between the adjacent sides of the members for the fastening thereto of blocks or other members to prevent the shifting of the freight in the conveyances.

In the past, railroad freight cars, in general, have been constructed either with wooden floors and walls or with metal floors and walls, and it has been customary to use the wooden freight cars for package or other freight which must be blocked against shifting during transportation and to use the metal cars for freight which does not need blocking. In wooden freight cars, it has been the practice to prevent freight from shifting by nailing blocks or braces to the floors and the walls of the cars to hold the package freight in a fixed position. One objection to this practice when using wooden freight cars is that it adds greatly to the destruction of the wooden floors and walls and thereby decreases the life of and increases the cost of the cars and their repair. Steel cars have not been satisfactory for package freight or other freight which must be blocked because of the problem involved in fastening the blocks to such a structure. As a result, a mill uses one type of freight car for some of their freight shipments and uses a different type of freight car for other shipments. Frequently, the obtaining of a freight car of the proper type delays shipment. It has been proposed to provide in freight car floors constructed of steel, wooden inserts to which blocks or braces could be nailed. The wooden inserts have the general weakness and the short life of wood as compared with metal so that the inserts must be replaced or repaired at frequent intervals. To a certain extent, metal floors and walls have been provided in freight cars by arranging metal structural members side :by side to form the floor. These structural members have flanges along their opposite sides and one flange is provided with a male corrugation whereas the other flange is provided with a female corrugation. When the structural members are arranged side by side, the male and female corrugated flanges are in opposed spaced apart relationship to define therebetween a sinuous groove into which nails can be driven and gripped. While such metal floors are a distinct improvement, it is necessary to space the flanges the proper distance apart, and to do this tools have been inserted between the flanges. After the members have been fastened in place the spacing tools are removed. This practice increases the work and time required to lay the floor or wall, and there has been a tendency for carelessness on the part of the workmen in properly spacing the members. In an attempt to space the members properly, bridges have been formed in the female corrugation. These bridges or protuberances are displaced outwardly from the surface of the female corrugation so that when the members are arranged side by side the male corrugation abuts against the bridges in the female corrugation to space the members apart. This practice is not entirely satisfactory. One serious difficulty encountered is that in the finished floor, some of the members will be found to be improperly spaced apart and at least some of the contiguous flanges will be so close together that it is impossible to drive nails into the slots between these flanges. In addition, it is frequently found that after a floor has been assembled, some of the members are tilted or warped out of the plane of the floor so that the floor is not level and with at least some of the nail-receiving grooves being distorted. For these and other reasons, the floor and wall structures used heretofore in freight cars have not been entirely satisfactory, and this is especially pronounced with those structures used commercially.

It is an object of the present invention to provide improved structural members that can be readily assembled in their proper relationship to each other to form a floor, wall or other surface structure.

Another object of the present invention is to provide improved structural members so constructed that the members can be readily assembled side by side with their continguous sides correctly spaced apart.

Another object of the present invention is to provide improved structural members that can be readily assembled side by side and that are so constructed and arranged that when assembled the members will be selfsquaring whereby the members are not tiltable and cannot be tilted out of the plane of the floor or wall.

Another object of the present invention is to provide improved structural members that can be readily assembled side by side to form a floor having nailing grooves between the members that are of the correct width so that nails can be driven into all of the grooves.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved floor or wall structure made up of such improved structural members.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent from the following description taken with the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 is a cabinet view of a portion of a floor embodying the principles of the present invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view taken along line 22 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary horizontal sectional view taken along line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view similar to Figure 2 but showing a modified structure also embodying the principles of the present invention;

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary horizontal sectional view taken along line 55 of Figure 4; and

Figure 6 is a cabinet view of a portion of one of the structural members of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings, the floor 10 is supported on spaced parallel members or beams 11 which may be of any suitable type and which may form part of the framework of a railroad freight car or other supporting structure. The floor 1% comprises a plurality of contiguous structural members 12 which are identical. As shown more clearly in Figure 6, each structural member 12 in- .cludes an elongated upper deck portion 14 presenting an external upper flat surface 15 on which the load rests. The members 12 are arranged in the floors so that the upper surfaces 15 of the members are coplanar. The structural member 12 includes a pair of flanges 16 and 17 which extend along and are joined to the two opposite lateral or longitudinal edges of the elongated deck portion 14. The flanges extend laterally or inwardly away from the deck portion 14 and the external surface 15. The plane of each flange 16 and 17 is normal to the plane of the external surface 15. The lower edge of each flange 16 terminates in and has joined along its lower edge a flange 18 that is directed laterally inwardly away from the external surface of flange 16. Similarly, the lower edge of flange 17 terminates in and has integrally joined along its lower edge a flange 19 that is directed laterally inwardly away from the external surface of flange 17. The flanges 18 and 19 strengthen the member and provide better footing for the member on the supports 11.

Referring more particularly to Figures 1, 2 and 3, the members 12 are arranged side by side with their flanges or flange portions 16 and 17 in contiguous, parallel, abutting relationship and with the external upper surfaces located in a common plane. The flange 16 includes an inwardly displaced female corrugation 20 that extends the length of the flange. The flange portion 16 which contains the female corrugation 20 is joined to the corresponding or adjacent edge of the deck portion 14 by a shoulder portion 21. The flange 16 is joined to flange 18 by a shoulder portion 22. The female corrugation 2t) presents a generally concave external surface 24 that is concave in a direction extending transversely of the elonn gated flange 16. The shoulders 21 and 22 present rounded convex outer surfaces. These surfaces are smoothly joined to the concave surface of the corrugation so as to present a continuous external flange surface. If desirable, the flange 16 may include straight portions not shown be tween the corrugation 20 and the shoulders 21, 22.

The contiguous or opposed parallel flange 17 includes an outwardly displaced male corrugation 29 which presents a convex external surface 30 that is parallel to the concave external surface 24 of the contiguous female corrugation 20. The flange 17 is joined to the respective deck member 14 by a shoulder 31 and is joined to flange 19 by a shoulder 32. The external surface of the male corrugation and of the shoulders 31 and 32 are smoothly blended one into the other to present a smooth continu ous flange surface parallel to the external flange surface of the contiguous flange 17. The male corrugation 29 extends the length of the elongated flange 17 and is displaced outwardly laterally from the plane of the flange the same distance that the female corrugation 20 is displaced laterally inwardly from the plane of the contiguous flange 16.

A plurality of longitudinally spaced apart bridges 34 are formed in the female corrugation 21). These bridges 34 extend across the external surface of the female corrugation, and each bridge presents an outermost or external surface 35 that extends across the female corrugation in a straight line and the outermost surface of the flange 16 at 37 and 38 is located in the same plane as the external surface 35 of the bridge 34. This plane is normal to the plane of the respective deck member 14 and coincides with the plane of the outer surface of flange 16. A plurality of longitudinally spaced apart spacing bridges 40 are formed along the length of each flange 17. Each bridge 40 presents a flat external surface 41 located in a plane normal to the external surface 15-of the deck member 14. The outer surface 41 and the outermost point of the male corrugation at 42 are located in a common plane. Thus, the outer surface 41 of the bridge 40 is coplanar with the peak or outermost surface of the male corrugation. The surface 41 extends throughout substantially the height of flange 17 and has a width at least as Wide as and preferably slightly wider than the Width of the female corrugation so that the bridge 40 bridges the female corrugation when two members are placed side by side. Thus, the bridge 40 engages the flange 16 on opposite sides of the female corrugation 20.

In the embodiment shown more particularly in Figures 2 and 3, each bridge 34 on the female corrugated flange is opposite a spacer 40 on the other flange of the number 12 and is opposite a spacer on the opposed or contiguous male corrugated flange so that the outermost surface 35 of bridge 34 is engaged throughout its length by the surface 41 of bridge 40. For reasons more fully hereinafter set forth, it is highly desirable that the bridge 40 bridge the female corrugation so as to engage the outermost surface of the flange 16 on opposite lateral sides of the female corrugation.

When the floor or wall 10 is assembled, the structural members 12 are arranged side by side on and connected to the members 11 with the male corrugated flange 17 of each member opposed to a contiguous female corrugated flange 16 of an adjacent member 12. The contiguous concave surface 24 and convex surface 30 are spaced apart by the spacers 40 and define a sinuous nailing groove 43 therebetween. The male and female corrugations are complementarily curved with their external surfaces parallel so that the nailing groove 43 includes a reverse bend with parallel walls. The surface of one wall, which is surface 24, is displaced laterally inwardly the width of the nailing groove 43 and the surface 30 of the other wall is displaced laterally outwardly the width of the nailing groove. The opposed rounded surfaces of shoulders 21 and 31 define an entering throat and these rounded surfaces converge downwardly and outwardly toward each other from their respective. deck portions 14 to the surface of the side walls of the nailing groove 43 to facilitate the entrance of the point of a driven nail into the nailing groove 43. The shoulders 22 and 32 also define an entering throat so that nails may be driven upwardly into the nailing groove or slot 43.

A package of freight, such as a stack or bundle of metal sheets 44 can be placed on the floor 10 and readily blocked in order to prevent shifting of the package 44 during shipment. With the present floor, blocking can be readily done by nailing a block 45 to the floor. The block 45 is fastened in place by means of nails 46 which are driven through the block and into the tortuous nail receiving passages 43. The nails do not damage the floor.

The spacers 40 provide a number of unexpected advantages. One advantage is that the spacers provide a squaring action for the members 12 so thatwhen a number are arranged side by side each member will be squared relative to the others. In other words, all of the deck surfaces 15 will be-located in a common plane and none of the members 12 will be tilted relative to the other members.

Another important advantage of the spacers 40 is that the spacers 40 have a relatively large area of contact with the contiguous flange 16 on opposite sides of the female corrugation and maintain the contiguous flanges 16 and 17 correctly spaced apartso that all of the nailing grooves 43 have the same width to prevent tilting and distortion of the members. After the members have been arranged in position on the supports 11, the members preferably are fastened to the supports 11 by means of welding and preferably are also connected to each other by welds to increase the strength and rigidity of the structure. It has been discovered that the spacers 40 do maintain the members in position. The bridges 34 will not do this when used alone. With bridges 34 present without spacers 40, it has been found that after the floor has been assembled, at least some of the nailing grooves 43 are too narrow and the nails regularly used cannot be driven into the narrower grooves. With spacers 40 present this trouble is not encountered. While 1 do not want to be limited to any particular theory, it is believed that the welds tend to draw the members 12 together and tend to cause the members to tilt or bend. The bridges 34, when present alone, provide substantially line contact with the convex male corrugation and apparently the area of engagement is not sufficient to pro-- vent the drawing together or twisting of the members. In contradistinction, the spacers 4t) engage a relatively large-surface area of the flange 16' and this area of engagement is located on opposite sides of the female corrugation and on opposite sides of the center or midpoint of flange 16. The spacers do prevent drawing to.- gether and tilting or twisting of the members. Regardless of whether or not this is the correct theory, it has been found that spacers 40 do maintain the spacing between the contiguous flanges whereas the bridges 34 will not maintain this spacing.

A very important advantage provided by the spacers 40 is that the spacers provide a location for welds. In addition to connecting the members 12 to the supports 11, the members 12 preferably are welded to each other at spaced points along their length to increase the strength and rigidity of the structure. These welds 48 are located at the spacers. As shown more clearly in Figure 2, locating the welds 48 between the spacers 43 and the contiguous portion of the female corrugated flange 2% enables the two members to be connected together with a minimum quantity of welding rod metal. The weld is a V type Weld with the metal of the contiguous flanges fused together at the bottom of the V. If the spacers were not present or if the welds were not located at the spacers so that bridge welds were used to span the gap between the contiguous edges of the members, a large quantity of welding rod metal would have to be deposited to bridge this gap. This large quantity of molten rod metal upon cooling would contract and tend to bend, tilt or distort the members 12. In addition, each flange would be welded to the weld metal and the flanges would not be welded directly to each other. A stronger weld can be produced when the flanges are in contact with each other so that the flanges can be directly welded to each other. Further, the spacers it? interrupt the nailing groove and locating the welds 48 at the spacers does not additionally block or reduce the nailing groove as would be the condition where bridge welds are provided between the spaced edges of the members.

Various methods may be followed in assembling the members. The members may be welded together after they have been arranged side by side on the supports 11. Alternatively, a group of the members 12 may be arranged side by side on a suitable support or in a suitable jig and welded to each other to form a subassembly. Then one or more of these subassemblies may be arranged on the members 11 and the members 12 of the one or more subassemblies connected to the supports 11 by means of welding. Assuming that the spacers 44) are not present, the bridges 34 will at least initially space the flanges apart the correct distance when the members are arranged side by side with the female and the male corrugated flanges in abutting relationship. The bridge 34 provides substantially line contact with the male corrugation at a point substantially midway between the top and bottom of the flanges. Thus, there is little, if any, area of surface engagement between these structural members and the members are not held in the correct position during assembly. It has been found in practice that the spacers 34 are not satisfactory.

Figures 4 and illustrate quite similar structural members embodying the principles of the present invention.

The two structural members shown in part in each figure are identical with the structural members shown in Figures 2 and 3, except, the bridges 34 which extend across the female corrugation have been omitted. The remaining portions of Figures 4 and 5 are identical with the corresponding portions of Figures 2 and 3 and accordingly the corresponding parts have had the same reference numerals applied thereto. it will be noted that the outer concave surface 24 of the female corrugation 20 is spaced from the convex outer surface 39 of the male corrugation 29 as well as spaced from the surface 41 of the spacer 40. As previously mentioned, the spacers 40 are wider than the female corrugation so that they engage the female corrugated flange 16 at spaced zones along its length and at zones located on opposite sides of the center of the flange above and below the female corrugation. Accordingly, bridges 34 may be omitted and the structural members of Figures 4 and 5 have the same advantages as the structural members shown in Figures 2 and 3.

This application is a continuation of application Serial 6 No. 139,259 filed January 18, 1950 for Flooring and Flooring Members and now abandoned.

What is claimed is:

1. An elongated structural member comprising an elongated deck having an external surface and opposed longitudinal edges; a first elongated flange joined along one of its longitudinal edges to one of the opposed longitudinal edges of the deck a second elongated flange joined along one of its longitudinal edges to the other opposed longitudinal edge of the deck; the first elongated flange including a first portion comprising a laterally outwardly displaced male corrugation having a convex external surface extending longitudinally of the first flange, a second portion integrally joining one longitudinal edge of the first portion to the one opposed longitudinal edge of the deck and a third portion integrally joined to the other longitudinal edge of the first portion and depending in a direction away from the deck; the second elongated flange including a first portion comprising a laterally inwardly displaced female corrugation having a concave external surface extending longitudinally of the second flange, a second portion integrally joining one longitudinal edge of the first portion to the other opposed longitudinal edge of the deck and a third portion integrally joined to the other longitudinal edge of the first portion and depending in a direction away from the deck; the second flange being formed to include a plurality of spacer means spatially disposed along its length; each of the spacer means of the second flange including flat external surfaces formed in the region of the longitudinal edges of its first portion; the flat external surfaces of each spacer means of the second flange lying in a common plane disposed at a predetermined angle with respect to the plane of the deck; the first flange including a plurality of spacer means spatially disposed along its length in a manner corresponding to the spatial disposition of the spacer means of the second flange; the spacer means of the first flange each comprising a laterally outwardly displaced portion presenting a flat external surface lying in a plane disposed at an angle with respect to the plane of the deck corresponding to the angle between the plane of the deck and the common plane of the flat external surfaces of the spacer means of the second flange; the flat external surfaces of the spacer means of the first flange including a continuous surface overlying the first portion and at least a part of the second and third portions of the first flange and comprising the outermost external sur faces of the first flange, and the external surfaces of the spacer means of the first and second flanges having an appreciable longitudinal dimension.

2. An elongated structural member comprising an elongated deck having an external surface and opposed longitudinal edges; a first elongated flange joined along one of its longitudinal edges to one of the opposed longitudinal edges of the deck; a second elongated flange joined along one of its longitudinal edges to the other opposed longitudinal edge of the deck; the first elongated flange including a first portion comprising a laterally outwardly displaced male corrugation having a convex external surface extending longitudinally of the first flange, a second portion integrally joining one longitudinal edge of the first portion to the one opposed longitudinal edge of the deck and a third portion integrally joined to the other longitudinal edge of the first portion and depending in a direction away from the deck; the second elongated flange including a first portion comprising a laterally inwardly displaced female corrugation having a concave external surface extending longitudinally of the second flange, a second portion integrally joining one longitudinal edge of the first portion to the other opposed longitudinal edge of the deck and a third portion integrally joined to the other longitudinal edge of the first portion and depending therefrom in a direction away from the deck; the second flange being formed to include a plurality of spacer means spatially disposed along its length; each of the spacer means of the second flange including flat external surfaces formed in the region of the longitudinal edges of the first portion; the flat external surfaces of each spacer'means of the second flange lyingin a common plane disposed at a predetermined angle with respect to the plane of the deck; the first flange including a plurality of spacer means spatially disposed along its length in a manner corresponding to the spatial disposition of the spacer means of the second flange; the spacer means of the first flange each comprising a laterally outwardly displaced portion presenting a flat external surface lying in a plane disposed at an angle with respect to the plane of the deck corresponding to the angle between the plane of the deck and the common plane of the flat external surfaces of the spacer means of the second flange; the flat external surfaces of the spacer means of the first flange including a continuous surface overlying the first portion and at least a part of the second and third portions of the first flange and comprising the outermost external surfaces of the first flange; the external surfaces of the spacer means of the first and second flanges having an appreciable longitudinal dimension, and angle means for supporting the deck, the angle meansincluding a flange spaced from the deck and being substantially parallel to the plane of the deck.

3. An elongated structural member comprising an elongated deck having an external surface and opposed longitudinal edges, a first elongated flange joined along one of its longitudinal edges to one of the opposed longitudinal edges of the deck; a second elongated flange joined along one of its longitudinal edges to the other opposed longitudinal edge of the deck; the first elongated flange including a first portion comprising a laterally outwardly displaced male corrugation having a convex external surface extending longitudinally of the first flange, a second portion integrally joining one longitudinal edge of the first portion to the one opposed longitudinal edge of the deck and a third portion integrally joined to the other longitudinal edge of the first portion and depending in a direction away from the deck; the second elongated flange including a first portion comprising a laterally inwardly displaced female corrugation having a concave external surface extending longitudinally of the second flange, a second portion integrally joining one longitudinal edge of the first portion to the other opposed longitudinal edge of the deck and a third portion integrally joined to the other longitudinal edge of the first portion and depending in a direction away from the deck; the second flange being formed to include a plurality of spacer means spatially disposed along its length; each of the spacer means of the second flange including flat external surface areas each extending transversely ofthe second flange; the flat external surface areas of each spacer means of the second flange lying in a common plane disposed at a predetermined angle with respect to theplane of the deck; the first flange including a plurality of spacer means spatially disposed along its length in a manner corresponding to the spatial disposition of the spacer means of the second flange; the spacer means of the first flange each comprising a laterally outwardly displaced portion presenting a' flat external surface lying in a plane disposedat an angle with respect to the plane of the deck corresponding to' the angle between the plane of the deck and the common plane of the flat external surface areas of the spacer'means of the second flange; the flat external surfaces of the spacer means of the first flange extending transversely of the first flange overlying the first portion and at least a part of the second and third portions of the first flange and comprising the outermost external surfaces of the first flange; and the external surfaces of the spacer means- 8 4; An elongated structural member comprising an elongated deck having an external surface and opposed longitudinal edges; a first elongated flange joinedalong one of its longitudinal edges to one of the opposedlongitudinal edges of the deck; a second elongated flange joining one longitudinal edge of the first portion to the one opposed longitudinal edge of the deck and a third portion integrally joined to the other longitudinal edge of the first portion and depending in a direction away from the deck; the second elongated flange including a first portion comprising a laterally inwardly displaced female corrugation having a concave external surface extending longitudinally of the second flange, a second portion integrally joining one longitudinal edge' of the first portion to the other opposed longitudinal edge of the deck and a third portion integrally joined to the other longitudinal edge of the first portion and depending in a direction away from the deck; the second flange being formed to include a plurality of spacer means spatially disposed along its length; each of the spacer means of the second flange including transversely disposed flat external surface areas extending transversely of the second flange; the flat external surface areas of each spacer means of the second flange lying in a common plane disposed at a predetermined angle with respect to the plane of the deck; the first flange including a plurality of spacer means spatially disposed along its length in a manner corresponding to the spatial disposition of the spacer means of the second flange; the spacer means of the first flange each comprising a laterally outwardly displaced portion presenting a flat external surface lying in a plane disposed at an angle with respect to the plane of the deck corresponding to the angle between the plane of the deck and the common plane of the flat externalsurface areas of the spacer means of the second flange; the flat external surfaces of the spacer means of the first flange extending transversely of the first flange overlying the first portion and at least a part of the second and third portions of the first flange; the plane of the flat external surfaces of the spacer means of the first flange passing:

through the outermost portion of the male corrugation; and the external surfaces of the spacer means of the first flange and the external surface areas of the second flange having an appreciable longitudinal dimension.

5. An elongated structural member as defined in claim 4 in which the male corrugation of the first flange and the female corrugation of the second flange are complernentarily curved with their respective convex and concave surfaces being parallel and symmetrical about a plane passing through the first and second flanges parallel to and displaced from the plane of the deck.

6. An elongated structural member as defined in claim 5 in which the flat external surfaces of the spacer means of the first flange extend transversely of the first flange from both sides of the plane of symmetry of the male and female corrugations a distance at least equal to the outermost transverse disposition of the external surface areas of the spacer means of the second flange with respect to the plane of symmetry of the male and female corrugatrons.

7. An elongated structural member comprising an elongated deck having an external surface and opposed longitudinal edges; a first elongated flange joined along one of its longitudinal edges to one of the opposed longi tudinal edges of the deck; a second elongated flange joined along one of its longitudinal edges to the other opposed longitudinal edges of the deck; the first elongated flange including a first portion comprising a laterally outwardly displaced male corrugation having a convex external surface extending longitudinally of the first flange, a second portion integrally joining one longitudinal edge of the first portion to the one opposed longitudinal edge of the deck and a third portion integrally joined to the other longitudinally edge of the first portion and depend ing in a direction away from the deck; the second elongated flange including a first portion comprising a laterally inwardly displaced female corrugation having a concave external surface extending longitudinally of the second flange, a second portion integrally joining one longitudinal edge of the first portion to the other opposed longitudinal edge of the deck, and a third portion integrally joined to the other longitudinal edge of the first portion and depending therefrom in a direction away from the deck; the second flange being formed to include a plurality of spacer means spatially disposed along its length; each of the spacer means of the second flange including flat external surfaces formed in the region of the joints between the one longitudinal edge of the first portion and the second portion and between the other longitudinal edge of the first portion and the third portion; the flat external surfaces of each of the spacer means extending transversely of the second flange in a plane disposed at a predetermined angle with respect to the plane of the deck; the first flange including a plurality of spacer means spatially disposed along its length corresponding to the spatial disposition of the spacer means of the second flange, the spacer means of the first flange each comprising a laterally outwardly displaced portion presenting a flat external surface lying in a plane disposed at an angle with respect to the plane of the deck corresponding to the angle between the plane of the deck and the common plane of the fiat external surfaces of the spacer means of the second flange; the flat external surfaces of the spacer means of the first flange comprising the outermost external surfaces of the first flange and extending substantially throughout a major portion of the depth of the first flange overlying the first portion and at least a part of the second and third portions of the first flange; the end of the flat external surfaces of the spacer means of the first flange adjacent the deck being spaced from the plane of the deck a distance at least equal to the spacing between the plane of the deck and the flat external surfaceof each of the spacer means of the second flange formed in the region of the one longitudinal edge of the first portion and the second portion of the second flange, and the other end of the flat external surfaces of the spacer means of the first flange being spaced from the other longitudinal edge of the first flange a distance at least equal to the spacing between the other longitudinal edge of the second flange and the flat external surfaces of each spacer means of the second flange formed in the region of the other longitudinal edge of the first portion and the third portion of the second flange, and the external surfaces of the spacer means of the first and second flanges having an appreciable longitudinal dimension.

8. An elongated structural member comprising an elongated deck having an external surface and opposed longitudinal edges; 0. first elongated flange joined along one of its longitudinal edges to one of the opposed longitudinal edges of the deck; a second elongated flange joined along one of its longitudinal edges to the other opposed longitudinal edge of the deck; the first elonggated flange including a first portion comprising a laterally outwardly displaced male corrugation having a convex external surface extending longitudinally of the first flange; a second portion integrally joining one longitudinal edge of the first portion to the one opposed longitudinal edge of the deck and a third portion integrally joined to the other longitudinal edge of the first portion and depending in a direction away from the deck; the second elongated flange including a first portion comprising a laterally inwardly displaced female corrugation having a concave external surface extending longitudinally of the second flange, a second portion integrally joining one longitudinal edge of the first portion to the other opposed longitudinal edge of the deck and a third portion integrally joined to the other longitudinal edge of the first portion and depending in a direction away from the deck; the first flange including a plurality of spacer means spatially disposed along its length; the spacer means of the first flange each comprising a laterally outwardly displaced portion presenting a flat external surface lying in a plane disposed at a predetermined angle with respect to the plane of the deck; the flat external surfaces of the spacer means of the first flange comprising the outermost external surfaces of the first flange and extending substantially throughout a major portion of the depth of the first flange overlying the first portion and at least a part of the second and third portions of the first flange; the external surfaces of the spacer means of the first flange having an appreciable longitudinal dimension, the first portion of the second flange forming the female corrugation being displaced outwardly in regions of the longitudinal edges of the first portion of the second flange spaced along the length of the second flange corresponding to the spatial disposition of the spacer means of the first flange to form flat external surface areas having appreciable longitudinal and transverse dimensions and lying in the common plane substantially parallel to the plane of the external surfaces of the spacer means of the first flange.

9. In combination, a first elongated structural member including a deck having opposed longitudinal edges, a first elongated flange joined along one of its longitudinal edges to one of the opposed longitudinal edges of the deck and a second elongated flange joined along one of its longitudinal edges to the other opposed longitudinal edge of the deck; a second elongated structural member including a deck having opposed longitudinal edges, a first elongated flange joined along one of its longitudinal edges to one of the opposed longitudinal edges of the deck and a second elongated flange joined along one of its longitudinal edges to the other opposed longitudinal edge of the deck; the first and second members adapted to be positioned in side-by-side relation with the first flange of the first member in contiguous relation with the second flange of the second member; the first elongated flange of the first member including a first portion comprising a laterally outwardly displaced male corrugation having a convex external surface extending longitudinally of the first flange, a second portion integrally joining one longitudinal edge of the first portion to the one opposed 10ngitudinal edge of the deck and a third portion integrally joined to the other longitudinal edge of the first portion and depending in a direction away from the deck; the second flange of the second member including a first portion comprising a laterally inwardly displaced female corrugation having a concave external surface extending longitudinally of the second flange, a second portion integrally joining one longitudinal edge of the first portion to the other opposed longitudinal edge of the deck and a third portion integrally joined to the other longitudinal edge of the first portion and depending therefrom in a direction away from the deck; the male corrugation and the female corrugation being complementarily curved to form therebetween a tortuous nail receiving and bending groove upon being positioned in spaced parallel relationship; and means for spacing the first flange of the first member and the second flange of the second member to form the tortuous nail receiving and bending groove between the male and female corrugations of the members, the last named means including a plurality of spacer means spatially disposed along the length of the first elongated flange of the first member; the spacer means of the first flange of the first member each comprising a laterally outwardly displaced portion presenting a flat external surface comprising the outermost external surfaces of the first flange and extending substantially throughout the major part of the transverse dimension of the first flange overlying the first portion and at least a part of the second and thirdportions of the first flange, and flat coplanar surfaces formed on the second flange of the'second member in the region of the longitudinal edges of the female corrugation along the length of the second flange of the second member corresponding to the spatial disposition of the spacer means of the first flange of the first member, the flat external surfaces of the spacer means of the first member adapted to contact the flat eoplanar surfaces formed on the second flange of the second member to space the male and female corrugations.

10. An elongated structural member comprising, in eombination,-an elongated deck portion having an external surface and opposed elongated edges, a first elongated flange joined along one of its longitudinal edges to one of the opposed longitudinal edges of the deck portion, a second elongated flange joined along one of its longitudinal edges to the other opposed elongated edge of the deck portion, the planes of the first flange and the second flange being substantially normal to the external surface of the deck portion, a first flange member joined along the other longitudinal edge of the first elongated flange, a second flange member joined along the other longitudinal edge of the second elongated flange, the flange members lying in a plane parallel to the deck portion and spaced from the deck portion by the depth of the first and second flanges, the first elongated flange including a laterally outwardly displaced male corrugation having a convex external surface extending longitudinally of the first elongated flange, the male corrugation having a transverse dimension less than the depth of the first elongated flange and extending longitudinally of the first elongated flange member spaced from the deck portion and the first flange member, the second elongated flange ineluding a laterally inwardly displaced female corrugation having a concave external surface extending longitudinally of the second elongated flange, the female corrugation having a transverse dimension less than the depth of the second elongated flange and extending longitudinally of the second elongated flange spaced from the deck portion and the second flange member presenting spaced coplanar portions lying in the plane of the second elongated flange, a plurality of spaced apart bridges disposed along the length of the second elongated flange, each of the-bridges having an outermost surface coplanar with the plane of the second elongated flange and extending across the female corrugation presenting a flat external surface including the spaced coplanar portions, a plurality of spacers spatially disposed along the length of the first elongated flange, each of the spacers being displaced laterally outwardly from the first elongated flange on both sides of the male corrugation to present a flat external surface located in a plane normal to the external surface of the deck portion and coplanar with the outermost point of the convex surface of the male corrugation, the flat external surfaces of the spacers having a depth dimension between the deck portion and the first flange member greater than the space between the spaced coplanar portions of the second elongated flange, the male and female corrugations being complementarily curved and so arranged that when a plurality of such members are assembled side-by-side with the flat external surfaces of the spacers of a male corrugation in contact with the flat external surfaces of the bridges of a female corrugation, the convex and concave surfaces of the contiguous corrugations are parallel and spaced apart to provide therebetween a tortuous nail receiving and bending groove.

11. A surface comprising, in combination, a plurality of elongated structural members, each of the elongated structural members including an elongated deck portion presenting an external surface and opposed elongated edges, a first elongated flange joined along one of its longitudinal edges to one of the opposed elongated-edges of the deck portion and a second elongated flange joined along one of its longitudinal edges to the other opposed elongated edge of the deck portion, the planes of the first flange and the second flange being substantially normal to the external surface of the deck portion, the structural members being arranged side-by-side with their external surfaces coplanar and with the first elongated flange of the members being contiguous with the second elongated flanges of an adjacent member, the first elongated flange of each two contiguous flanges including a laterally outwardly displaced male corrugation having a convex ex ternal surface extending longitudinally of the one elongated flange, the male corrugation having a transverse dimension less than the depth of the first elongated flange and extending longitudinally of the first elongated flange spaced from the deck portion and the first flange member, the second elongated flange of each two contiguous flanges including a laterally inwardly displaced female corrugation having a concave external surface extending longitudinally of the second flange, the female corrugation having a transverse dimension less than the depth of the second elongated flange and extending longitudinally of the second elongated flange spaced from the deck portion and the second flange member presenting spaced coplanar portions lying in the plane of the second elongated flange, a plurality of spacers spatially disposed along the length of the first elongated flange, each of the spacers being displaced laterally outwardly from the first elongated flange on both sides of the male corrugation to present a flat external surface located in a plane normal to the external surface of the deck portion and coplanar with the outermost point of the convex surface of the male corrugation, the flat external surface of the spacers having a depth between the deck portion and the first flange member greater than the space between the spaced coplanar portions of the second elongated flange, a plurality of bridges extending across each female corrugation, each bridge having an external surface coplanar with the external surface of the respective flange and in abutting relation with a spacer of the contiguous male corrugation, the male and female corrugations of each two contiguous flanges being complementarily curved and so arranged to define therebetween a tortuous nail receiving and bending groove.

12. An elongated structural member comprising, in combination, elongated deck portion having an external surfaceand opposed elongated edges, a first elongated flange joined along one of its longitudinal edges to one of the opposed elongated edges of the deck portion, a second elongated flange joined along one of its longitudinal edges to the other opposed elongated edge of the deck portion, the planes of the first flange and the second flange being substantially in parallel relation, the first elongated flange including a laterally outwardly displaced male corrugation having a convex external surface extending longitudinally of the first elongated flange, the male corrugation having a transverse dimension less than the depth of the first elongated flange and extending lougitudinally of the first elongated flange spaced from the deck portion and the other of its longitudinal edges, the second elongated flange including a laterally inwardly displaced female corrugation having a concave external surface extending longitudinally of the second elongated flange, the female corrugation having a transverse dimension less than the depth of the second elongated flange and extending longitudinally of the second elongated flange spaced from the deck portion and the other of its longitudinal edges presenting spaced portions lying in the plane of the second elongated flange, a plurality of spacers spatially disposed along the length of the first elongated flange, each of the spacers being displaced laterally outwardly from the first elongated flange at both sides of the male corrugation to present a flat external surface located in a plane parallel to the plane of the first flange and coextensive with the outermost point of the convex surface of the male corrugation, the flat external surfaces of the spacers having a depth dimension between the deck portion and the other longitudinal edge of the first elongated flange greater than the space between the spaced portions of the second elongated flange, the deck portion in the region of the spacers being displaced outwardly beyond its one opposed elongated edge and joined to the ends of the spacers adjacent the deck portion, the male and female corrugations being complementarily curved and so arranged that when a plurality of such members are assembled side-by-side with the flat external surfaces of the spacers of a first flange in contact with the spaced portions of a second flange, the convex and concave surfaces of the contiguous corrugations are parallel and spaced apart to provide therebetween a tortuous nail-receiving and bending groove, and supporting means including a flange spaced from the deck portion and being substantially parallel to the plane of the deck portion.

13. A surface structure comprising, in combination, a plurality of elongated structural members, each of the elongated structural members including an elongated deck portion presenting an external surface and opposed elongated edges, a first elongated flange joined along one of the longitudinal edges of one of the opposed. elongated edges of the deck portion and a second elongated flange joined along one of its longitudinal edges to the other opposed elongated edge of the deck portion, the planes of the first flange and the second flange being substantially normal to the external surface of the deck portion, the structural members being arranged side-by-side with their external surfaces coplanar and with the first elongated flange of the members being contiguous with the second elongated flange of an adjacent member, the first elongated flange of each two contiguous flanges including a laterally outwardly displaced male corrugation having a convex external surface extending longitudinally of the one elongated flange, the male corrugation having a transverse dimension less than the depth of the first elongated flange and extending longitudinally of the first elongated flange spaced from the deck portion and the other of its longitudinal edges, the second elongated flange of each two contiguous flanges including a laterally inwardly displaced female corrugation having a concave external surface extending longitudinally of the second flange, the female corrugation having a transverse dimension less than the depth of the second elongated flange and extending longitudinally of the second elongated flange spaced from the deck portion and the other of its longitudinal edges presenting spaced portions lying in the plane of the second elongated flange, a plurality of spacers disposed along the length of the first elongated flange, each of the spacers being displaced laterally outwardly from the first elongated flange on both sides of the male corrugation to present a flat external surface located in a plane normal to the external surface of the deck portion and coextensive with the outermost point of the convex surface of the male corrugation, the flat external surface of the spacers having a depth between the deck portion and the other longitudinal edge of the first elongated flange greater than the space between the spaced portions of the second elongated flange, the deck portion in the region of the spacers being displaced outwardly beyond its one opposed longitudinal edge and joined to the ends of the spacers adjacent the deck portion, the male and female corrugations of each two contiguous flanges being complementarily curved and so arranged to define therebetween a tortuous nail-receiving and bending groove, and supporting means including a flange spaced from the deck portion and being substantially parallel to the plane of the deck portion.

14. A surface structure comprising, in combination, a plurality of elongated structural members, each of the elongated structural members including an elongated deck portion presenting an external surface and opposed elongated edges, 21 first elongated flange joined along. one of its longitudinal edges to one of the opposed elongated edges of the deck portion and a second elongated flange joined along one of its longitudinal edges to the other opposed elongated edge of the deck portion, the plane to the first flange and the second flange being substantially normal to the external surface of the deck portion, the structural members being arranged side-by-side with their external surfaces coplanar and with the first elongated flange of the members being contiguous with the second elongated flange of an adjacent member, the first elongated flange of each two contiguous flanges including a laterally outwardly displaced male corrugation having a convex external surface extending longitudinally of the one elongated flange, the male corrugation having a transverse dimension less than the depth of the first elongated flange and extending longitudinally of the first elongated flange spaced from the deck portion and the other of its longitudinal edges, the second elongated flange of each two contiguous flanges including a laterally inwardly displaced female corrugation having a concave external surface extending longitudinally of the second flange, the female corrugation having a transverse dimension less than the depth of the second elongated flange and extending longitudinally of the second elongated flange spaced from the deck portion and the other of its longitudinal edges presenting spaced portions lying in the plane of the second elongated flange, a plurality of spacers spatially disposed along the length of the first elongated flange, each of the spacers being displaced laterally outwardly from the first elongated flange on both sides of the male corrugation to present a flat external surface located in a plane normal to the external surface of the deck portion and coextensive with the outermost point of the convex surface of the male corrugation, the flat external surface of the spacers having a depth between the deck portion and the other longitudinal edge of the first elongated flange greater than the space between the spaced portions of the second elongated flange, the deck portion in the region of the spacers being displaced outwardly beyond its one opposed elongated edge and joined to the ends of the spacers adjacent the deck portion so that a cavity is formed between each two contiguous flanges in the region of the spacers, the male and female corrugations of each two contiguous flanges being complementarily curved and so arranged to define therebetween a tortuous nailreceiving and bending groove, a weld formed in the cavity between each two contiguous flanges in the region of the spacers, and supporting means including a flange spaced from the deck portion and being substantially parallel to the plane of the deck portion.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,900,541 Buelow et al. Mar. 7, 1933 2,063,714 Waugh et al. Dec. 8, 1936 2,667,243 Fenske Ian. 26, 1954 

